I have just completed my second brew with a 50l BM with 20l insert. I am having problems with the boil aspect. For some reason it gets to 99 degrees C but wont reach 100 degrees C and start the timer for the boil. I kept the original cardboard for the BM and made a jacket out of it for insulation, but both times i have used the BM i have had to start manual timing (with a watch) when it reaches 99 degrees because it never reaches 100 even during the full 80 min boil it is still not registering 100 C. Any suggestions, tips, or answers would be much appreciated...

Thanks

Nothing is too difficult for the man that does not have to do it himself...

Thanks for pointing that out, i have to keep remembering my maths, physics and chemistry from school (no wonder some say brewing is a science). So should i set my boil temp to 99? I noticed in the article that the timer should start after 3 mins of 95 degrees anyway, but i didn't see that happening...

You'll want to set your boil temp for 102C - it ensures the heating coil will not cycle on and off. If you set it for 99 or 100,, you won't keep the boil as steady. You might want to run a test to check, but if your boil timer didn't start after about 3 minutes at 99, contact Speidel for troubleshooting. If I recall the logic, it is if it stays at the same temp for 3 minutes and is above 95, the timer should start (for the old model controller).

Did another brew yesterday, set the temp for 102 and the temp reading stayed at 99 throughout a 2 hour boil it would occasionally reach 100 C for a few seconds, but the timer never started at any stage.

Nothing is too difficult for the man that does not have to do it himself...

desupero, I think most of them do that. Or for what I have read about them. Mine also gets to 99 and then the timer starts and every once in a while it will hit 100 but goes back to 99 real quick. I do get a boil that I am happy with.

We added a little too much water yesterday and had to boil it down. 2 hours and the timer still had not started at any point during the boil phase (temp was between 98-100 during the 2 hours). I have contacted BM via Ralf so I'll see what they have to say... Just to be safe though the boil is Phase 5? because after that it asks for hops addition times???

Nothing is too difficult for the man that does not have to do it himself...

Phase 5 is still relating to a mash step and is not related at all to the boil countdown.

Set your mash as required and if Phase 5 is not used just set it at 0 minutes at mash out temp (for example 77 deg) then pres enter to go to the boil timer.The boil timer function will ask you for the boil temp which you should set at 102 and the boil time which you set to suit your requirements ( eg 60 or 90 minutes ) From there you will be able to add the intervals required for hop additions ( eg 60 20 5 ) and all should function as planned with the buzzer warning you at each interval to add the hops.

Ther are 5 phases available for mash schedules but if you only do a single 66 deg mash and a mash out then all the others need a time value of zero and a temperature value of the previous setting.

Dicko you should write the BM manual you explained the step mashes very well and I have been struggling with them a little... thanks. So I will try your step plan next week and let you know how it goes, as i can't be sure at this time that I followed the plan exactly as you have described to consider all phases. I thought phase 5 was the boil! Thanks again to everyone for the help, suggestions, experience and comments.

Nothing is too difficult for the man that does not have to do it himself...

I went through the steps with just water in as a trail. I think i must have not been going through all the steps and perhaps programming 100C at the wrong point because it did start the boil count down as planned. Thanks for all the help...

Nothing is too difficult for the man that does not have to do it himself...